Restoring Bethmoora
by Marnomy
Summary: An old friend seeks to convince the royal elven twins Nuada and Nuala to step up as the rulers of their people and to aid them in the restoration of Bethmoora. The road ahead is a tough, treacherous one—especially so when petty things such as emotions get in the way. Nuada/OC, with mild Nuala/OC.
1. The Faint Scent Of Plum Blossoms

**Hey there! After watching Hellboy II: The Golden Army for the first time after a long time, I decided to try my hand at a fanfiction after getting a good grasp of the characters and formulating in my mind a relatively reasonable storyline.**

**That being said, the disclaimer is that I own nothing but the OCs I have created, the plot, and my own interpretations.**

**_December 04, 2012:_** I made minor revisions and tweaks to this chapter. Don't worry, just a couple of added details, word changes, and corrections.

**_April 25, 2013:_** Again, I've made more grammatical changes. I've also added some details and sentences. Can you figure out which ones are new?

**If you'd like to get to know this mysterious figure after reading, I've written extensively about her in my profile and have posted links too.**

**Warnings: For future violence, non-graphic (?) romance, and cursing.**

_**This takes place right after Nuada mortally wounds Hellboy in the library, and takes Nuala as hostage for the last remaining crown piece.**_

* * *

"What now, brother?" Nuala asked, anger in her tone as he led her through the entrance of Bethmoora. "What will you do if they do not come?"

At the sight of the city, a heaviness settled in her heart. It was once so beautiful, vibrant with life. And now? Cursed.

It was a grim sight. Ash and dust coated every square inch of the desolate city. Pillars had split and fallen, the crumbled stone scattered every which way. Trees that once shed a rainfall of petals were now dead, their roots twisted and gnarled. Petrified skeletons of their brethren long past were scattered amongst the ruins. The buildings were all empty.

The city was void of any color—and life.

Nuada scowled at the sight of his former home. "Look, sister," he started, ignoring her question, "Look at what has become of our people. If we had won the war… if we hadn't made that _truce_, Bethmoora would still be prosperous. Our father would still be alive. And the earth would not be clinging for survival."

The elven princess cast her gaze downward, and said with a soft reply, "And our people would have been known for the massacre they carried out."

The comment made her sibling fall silent, and she could tell that he was lingering on what she said.

As they walked through the hollow remains of Bethmoora, Nuala recounted memories from the past as they walked by the places they occurred.

When they were children, she and Nuada played in that small, now deserted, park. The play structure she enjoyed as a child had collapsed under itself.

Further down the road, the two passed a large—now abandoned—building. It was the school where she spent years studying botany and the art of herbal medicine. The same plants she cared for were now lifeless and withered. The classrooms that were once filled with sounds of quill upon paper were now silent.

Then they walked through the barren, empty marketplace. Their governess would bring her and Nuada there while shopping for groceries. Her eyes lingered on the stalls where friendly vendors would offer her and her brother free samples of food, candies, and snacks.

Nuala's heart ached with nostalgia and pain.

As the two drew nearer and nearer towards the palace, they strolled into the neighborhood where the rich, aristocratic civilians once lived. The houses (much more spacious and grand than normal homes) were now uninhabited and covered with soot and debris, like all other buildings in the cursed city.

There was one house in particular she was looking for.

Nuala stopped in front of a large villa. The steps toward the front doors seemed to be calling out to her, stirring her memories.

_"You, my lady, are a very beautiful woman..."_

The princess found herself stopping in her tracks and staring at the building, those words echoing in her mind. She couldn't help but raise a hand up to her face to feel the raised scar on the flesh of her cheek.

Her amber eyes scanned each crack and crevice of the villa, pursing her lips at the damage that had been done to it. She began to recollect her memories of the building before the curse: the furniture, the decor, the people. She remembered walking up those steps several times in the past to spend time with...

"My sister, I'm afraid we must make haste. I have a feeling that your _Abraham_ will be arriving sooner than I anticipated." Nuala, startled, spun on her heel to face her brother. He was waiting for her as patiently as an elven prince could, standing a ways behind her with crossed arms and a frown on his face.

Nuala quickly joined his side. She was eager to see Abraham again... even if it might've been for the last time.

Nuada said the fish man's name with such disgust. He could hardly believe that his own sister could be so fond of him. Not because he was a foreign creature (in fact, if he wasn't working for the BPRD, it was possible that Nuada would have come to have accepted his presence) but that he was _aiding_ the humans who were destroying the very planet with their greed and filth. The Sapien creature seemed a very knowledgeable character, though not knowledgeable enough to know who to side with.

Breaking his train of thought, Nuada finally noticed what had his sister so entranced. He eyed the crumbling villa without much thought... That is, until he spied movement in the second floor window.

His golden eyes narrowed at the window, trying to make out any dark silhouettes in the shadows. He quickly drew his lance, ready to amble up the steps at that moment. Had someone been following them? If it wasn't the legless, bumbling troll, it must surely be one of those troublesome BPRD agents.

"Brother, what are you doing?" Nuala questioned, "There is no one here besides us. No one has been to Bethmoora in centuries."

With that, the prince sheathed his weapon and started to walk towards the palace, a dark expression on his face. Nuala followed silently after casting one last forlorn glance at the building.

* * *

That was a close one.

The gray-skinned woman had backed away from the window as soon as the building caught the prince's eye, making sure to keep to the corner of the room and to keep low. She wasn't, however, fast enough to stay out of sight. If Nuala hadn't reassured him that they were alone, surely she would have been discovered.

In her crouched position, the woman dug through the pouches that were strung around her hip and took out a glimmering seed.

"All in good time, my dear," she whispered to it before pocketing it again, making sure the faint green glow was not visible. If the battle between those agents and the army were to happen soon, then she'd better move fast.

In the darkness of the house, the woman stealthily wove in and out of each room as if she'd walked through it a million times before. She made down the steps and exited through the back door that lead to the empty courtyard behind the house, only to pause once she shut the door quietly behind her. Looking around the empty enclosure, a memory came to mind. The faint scent of plum blossoms...

**[✿ ✿ ✿]**

_She and the princess were sitting in her villa's courtyard, the surrounding trees vibrant with spring. The plum blossoms were blooming rather nicely, sprinkling pink and white petals about the cobbled ground. It made the air fragrant. The two were enjoying afternoon tea, talking of both everything and nothing in particular._

_"Your skin is so smooth. I'm sure all the boys are falling for you," Nuala complimented, giving the her an endearing smile._

_This caused the other woman to scoff, crossing her arms. A magenta flush spread over her cheeks. "Don't be absurd, my lady. I've yet to witness anyone tripping over their heels for me." She glanced down to inspect the back of her hand. Her skin was dark like ash. And her hair? Black as the night, with streaks of gray. She stuck out like a sore thumb around the city, for practically every elf was light-skinned and fair-haired. She was like a black sheep among a sea of white ones._

_Quickly turning her attention to her friend, she said playfully, "You, my lady, are a very beautiful woman. I've seen many an elf turn into complete imbeciles the moment you enter the room."_

_Nuala lifted a hand up to her face, lightly grazing the edge of the now healed scar on her cheek. __For the past couple of months, she had been feeling very self-conscious about her scars. It made her feel ugly and unattractive. Only elven men bore the scar if they've proven to be strong, honorable warriors—she just happened to have it due to her unusual link to her brother. Bethmooran women were supposed to look like flawless porcelain, and she obviously did not. "Oh? I felt as if the scars were... off-putting."_

_"Nonsense," the dark-skinned woman assured, "I think that those markings make you more attractive. Not many women have them." She stood up and walked behind the princess's chair and began to braid her silken, golden locks. "Besides, when I become a warrior-priestess I will get markings too, and we can be off-putting together." She placed a chaste kiss atop her head, stealing a whiff of her perfume._

_"Thank you." The princess felt a little more at ease, smiling happily. She added, "My brother said he likes them, too."_

_"What is it that you're saying about me now, sister?"_

_At the sound of the masculine voice, the two ladies turned to face Nuada and his companion Mr. Wink._

_"Hello brother," Nuala, being the sweetheart she was, gave him a warm smile. "I only said that you liked my scars."_

_The dark elf, on the other hand, was not so pleasant when it came to the two males—particularly the elf. Her voice was cold and distant as she acknowledged: "Good afternoon, Prince Nuada."_

_Nuada scowled in acknowledgement. His voice was equally unfriendly. "Hello, Maerwin."_

* * *

**How was it so far? Leave me a review, I would very much appreciate constructive criticism. Did I get their personalities right?**

**Like I said, there is information of this so-called Maerwin on my profile.**


	2. An Interrupted Attempt At Self-Sacrifice

So, here's the second chapter. I'm not sure how long the chapters should be—I can only type so much because of my schedule, and I don't really want to leave you hanging. I'll try to type as much as possible though! :)

**_December 04, 2012:_** I made minor revisions and tweaks to this chapter. Don't worry, just a couple of added details, word changes, and corrections.

**_April 25, 2013:_** More revisions, corrections, and additional details.

**PLEASE REVIEW! **I can't stress this enough guys. I want feedback—I wanna know what you think about Maerwin!

So yes, _please_, **_please_**, **_please_** review. That would make me severely happy, and motivate me to write more.

* * *

Maerwin watched from a balcony high above the palace entrance, her hood pulled over her head to conceal herself.

The twins were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense agents, the air thick with anticipation. Nuada paced up and down the floor with his hands laced behind his back while Nuala stood by. Maerwin, herself, was feeling unnerved. She was nervous, and desperately hoped the crown piece would not reach Nuada's hand.

His intentions were just, she could see that. There was no denying that it was tough watching her people fade into obscurity, but Maerwin didn't feel vengeful for it. She, like everyone, knew what horrors would be unleashed if the Golden Army was awakened once more; it was something that the world would barely be able to recover from. Both elves _and_ humans would be poorer for it, as well as any living creature on the planet.

They waited several hours until the BPRD agents appeared. Goodness, they were taking their sweet time to walk up the palace steps! The dark elf took this opportunity to observe them quietly. Anung Un Rama, the Beast of the Apocalypse. Maerwin had heard that he did not go by this, instead coining the name 'Hellboy' to better familiarize himself with the humans. He had even became accustomed to filing down his horns. For what reason? Perhaps it was to make them appear less daunting. That, or they got in the way of things. And it looked as if he had taken up a human mate, as well...

Maerwin was extremely fascinated at how close he and the only female of the group interacted. The two stayed close to one another, keeping themselves within arm's length of each other. The petite woman didn't appear to have any power, but from witnessing it firsthand in the city (after Nuada had summoned that Forest Elemental—yes, Maerwin had been tracking them for quite some time now) she knew that the woman had the ability to conjure flames from her body. It was a fitting power alongside her lover, the fireproof hell demon.

With them was a peculiar suit that looked eerily similar to a late, 19th-century diving ensemble. There was not a person inside, but a wispy gas that seemed to be controlling the outfit. Strange... Maerwin vaguely recalled reading about teleplasty, but she'd never seen it firsthand until today.

And lastly, a fish-like creature that went by the name of Abraham Sapien. Yes, if she wasn't mistaken, this was the person who had captured her lady's interest. By the looks of it, he was a tall and lanky fellow with large, black eyes, whose skin was slick like a bluefin tuna's. Maerwin wondered what made him so special as to gain Princess Nuala's favor.

The thought of the princess and him made Maerwin feel... well, that wasn't important. What was important was the fight that was about to ensue. And such a feeling of dread passed over Maerwin when Abraham revealed the final crown piece and tossed it—willingly!—to Nuada. Exactly why did Nuala like him, again?

No matter; there were more pressing matters on hand. The Golden Army was to come to life, after all.

* * *

Nuala knew what she had to do.

Watching as her brother rise from the floor and unsheathe his hidden dagger, she quietly unsheathed her own.

She now realized her brother would never come around. It was a desperate, fleeting hope of hers that Nuada would realize that the extinction of humans wasn't going to save their people, but only bring an era of bloodshed, darkness, and pain. She wished that her brother would stop all this nonsense, and that they would return to their people and fade, as one, into the darkness.

Now, that would never happen. Her people would fade on their own, lost and leaderless. They would have no one to guide them.

Positioning the blade's tip to her abdomen, she stole a longing glance at Abraham. Her heart ached and tears welled up at the corners of her amber eyes.

_I'm sorry, Abraham. It was not meant to be._

Just as she was about to plunge the dagger into her body...

"No!" A voice shouted from the heavens. It startled everyone in the room, and they all looked up in harmony to gaze at the dark silhouette, who had seemingly appeared out of thin air. Even the Golden Army soldiers lifted their mechanical heads to spy the figure above, who was difficult to make out from the shadows. They were standing on a balcony's ledge. Their hooded head was turned to look directly at the elven princess on the platform below. "You mustn't kill yourself, your highness."

Nuala stared hard at the figure. That voice... it sounded oddly familiar.

Nuada, startled, lowered his hand that was raised to plunge the knife in Hellboy's unsuspecting back. He turned his head to where his sister was standing—and his heart sank when he saw that she was holding the knife to her body, poised so the dagger's sharp tip touched the fabric of her bodice.

"Sister," he started, his voice filled with sorrow. He abandoned his weapon, allowing the dagger to fall out of his hand. The metallic 'clank' of it hitting the floor drew all attention to him, but he paid no mind. "You would give your own life to save these _humans_? After what they did to our people?"

His question fell on deaf ears, for Nuala's mind was elsewhere. She had her head craned back to gape at the dark figure, her mouth agape and her brow furrowed. Her eyes strained to identify them through the darkness that shrouded the individual, but to no avail. They were much too high, and the cloak obscured her vision.

Her mind raced. She searched through her memory to place that voice. It was _so_ very familiar... Where was it from?

_"You, my lady, are a very beautiful woman..."_

When she finally placed that voice, a smile appeared on her pale face.

"...Maerwin?" she called out. Tears stung her eyes. "Maerwin, is that you?"

At the mention of the dark elf Nuada turned his head once more at the shadowy silhouette, disbelief written all over his face.

* * *

She had been quietly watching the entire time—she witnessed the BPRD agents fend off the Golden Army, and the struggle between the elven prince and Anung Un Rama. She saw Nuada rising from defeat, as well as the sinister look on his face. It was a look that most definitely gave his intentions away.

She also, out of the corner of her eye, saw the princess unsheathe a hidden dagger and press it to her body.

Maerwin felt a stab of dread when she realized: Nuala was killing her brother and, at the same time, sacrificing herself.

As warrior-priestess, it was Maerwin's duty to preserve the sons of the earth and keep their culture alive. This was exactly what Nuada was seeking too; naturally, a person would think that Maerwin would fight alongside the Prince. The difference between the two was that she didn't believe that the extinction of the human race was needed—she cared little for them, really. In fact, she wanted nothing to do with them. However, she felt that this did not justify killing them in any way, shape, or form.

On one hand, Prince Nuada's death would mean that the humans were no longer threatened with full-scale genocide.

On the other hand, if Nuala died, it would surely lead to the demise of their people.

The Bethmooran elves would not have anyone to lead them. It wasn't as if someone could just step up in their place. It was an unspoken law that only royal blood could rule. Not many elves would listen to someone who was not of royal descent.

If Princess Nuala died, all hope would be lost. More so, Maerwin would lose her dearest friend.

Was she really going to stand by, silent, while her lady took her own life?

"No!" The words poured out of her mouth before she even realized what was happening. "You mustn't kill yourself, your highness."

Oh. Oh, oh no. Now everyone was looking at her. The only thing Maerwin could do was stare back, hoping that she was far away enough that they could not determine her gender (though her voice might have given them a hint.) She kept still, though her hands were twitching from the urge to duck into the shadows, to hide. Instead she stood her ground.

The air was suffocatingly stiff with anticipation when Nuada spoke. "Sister... You would give your own life to save these _humans_? After what they did to our people?" There was anger in his tone, but mostly despair. Maerwin empathized with him—to see the princess in such a situation that she felt the only solution was to end her life was heartbreaking indeed. There was possibly no other who was as kindhearted, selfless and caring as her.

"...Maerwin? Maerwin, is that you?"

The dark elf blinked owlishly when the princess called out her name, obviously perplexed. How did she figure out it was her? She had her hood pulled over her head, and her skin made the perfect camouflage in the shadows she was lurking in. There was at least a four-story distance between them, for goodness sake! It was too late to disguise her voice further. Her plan of acting as a faceless, nameless, and unidentifiable guardian angel was foiled now.

Even from that height, the tears glistening in the princess's eyes was visible. Just the sight of tugged at Maerwin's heartstrings. Really, it'd tug at anyone's heartstrings to see such a lovely and gentle woman cry.

It was time to reveal herself. Maerwin disappeared into the shadows, retreating towards the balcony's entrance and sidling down the winding steps.

She stepped onto the platform where Nuala stood. Everyone's eyes were upon her now, and there was no turning back.

She removed her hood to reveal her identity. "My lady," she greeted politely, bowing as customary before sneaking in a warm smile at the look on the princess's face. It was a mixture of shock and happiness, and for a moment Nuala was speechless, one hand clasped over her mouth while the other was wrapped around the dagger's handle.

"Oh, Maerwin!" Nuala suddenly cried out, dropping the dagger to embrace her childhood friend.

The dark elf wrapped her arms around the princess and planted a kiss on the side of her head. Like old times, she snuck a familiar whiff of her perfume, a natural, floral scent with a hint of earthy tone. The scent brought comfort and stirred up old, and fond memories of their past.

Relief filled the air when Nuala released the weapon she was about to use to kill herself—and also confusion. To say the least, it was an odd sight for the BPRD agents to see Nuala act so affectionately with... well, anyone. They didn't know who this woman was, or where she came from.

And Nuada? He was too busy giving the dark-skinned elf a sneer. Maerwin gladly returned the favor over Nuala's shoulder, and narrowed her eyes right back at him.

* * *

**_REVIEW NOW._**

... _Please?_


	3. Glimmer Of Hope

Besides Nuala, King Balor, and the occasional Mr. Wink, Maerwin was one of the only people who had enough courage to stand up to the stubborn and fiery Nuada.

When the three of them were younger, Maerwin couldn't help but act like a shrew when she was around the prince—even as a child, he was an arrogant, self-centered, pompous little shit. Growing up, she'd try to talk as little as possible to him and send him as many dirty looks as she could muster. When he was acting particularly nasty, Maerwin would say a rude remark to shut him up or drive him away. She really didn't enjoy seeing him parading around the palace like he owned the place, so it was delightful to kick him off his high horse a bit.

As the years passed, Nuada learned to ignore Maerwin... seeing as he couldn't just banish her from Bethmoora. Doing that would most likely upset his dear sister, Nuala. It felt as if a curse fell upon him when he realized that she and that dreadful dark elf became inseparable. Holy hell, did he want to just send Maerwin away to someplace he would never see her again. And if he hadn't left the kingdom the day that the Golden Army was laid to rest, he would've witnessed Maerwin's leaving not long after.

But those times are past. They were adults (in elven years, mind you) but even now, standing in the barren ruins of the Bethmoora Palace, their ill feelings toward each other were very much alive and well. The two were at a stalemate. Everyone sensed the hostility between them.

The BPRD gang stood by in silence, keeping a close eye on Nuada in case he were to whip out another concealed weapon.

"Maerwin," Nuada acknowledged without emotion. His golden eyes inspected the dark elf and her odd, exotic-looking garb. It was revealing and had little armor to protect herself if any sharp, pointy object ever happened to stab into her ribcage—something he'd always felt the urge to do, really. "You look like a barbarian."

Maerwin grimaced, pulling away from Nuala to take a step at him. Her taloned hand gripped her staff tightly, resisting the desire to poke his eye out with the blade at the end of it. "You're not looking too well yourself, _your highness_. Is that the smell of defeat and dishonor wafting from you?"

He laughed dryly with false humor, and his hands balled up in fists. "Filthy peasant. I see you never were able to wash the dirt from your skin." That comment definitely hurt, jabbing right at the dark elf's insecurities. Nuala, having full knowledge of her friend's self-conscious feelings about her dusky skin tone, intervened right as Maerwin took another menacing step towards him. The princess moved between the two before they pounced one another like wild, rabid dogs. "Brother, stop it. Maerwin, why, on Earth, are you here?" she asked, turning the attention to her dear friend. There were too many questions to count, and Nuala needed answers immediately before another fight emerged.

The dark elf turned to face the princess, and offered her a caring smile. "What kind of warrior-priestess would I be to let her princess kill herself?" With the vague answer leaving Nuala's curiosity unsatisfied, Maerwin moved her aside with a gentle push and strode up to Nuada, her blade staff pointed directly at him.

Her tone was that of a mother lecturing her unruly child for playing with matches, only on a much, much bigger scale.

"_You_, on the other hand—if you had the ability to off yourself without harming the princess, I would have gladly lent you a hand centuries ago. _Don't speak!_" Nuada was silenced before he could intervene. His sensitive ears picked up the sound of Hellboy snickering in the background.

Maerwin continued. "You have committed the absolute crime by awakening the Golden Army. You've waged a war on the human race that can't possibly be won without an infinite amount of casualties. You have driven your sister to _attempted suicide_, for fuck's sake! Was that your plan all along? To leave your people to die, lost, without anyone to guide them?" By the end of her lecture, she was fuming. Her anger about the whole situation got the best of her, and it had caused her to point out the giant, pink elephant in the room, so to speak. Though it hadn't been mentioned, it was blatantly obvious that the death of the royal twins meant the inevitable demise of their people.

Nuala let her gaze fall downcast when her brother attempted to catch her eye. Their link to each other caused them to feel the same shame and remorse, and it did _not_ feel good at all. Nuada kept quiet, soaking in Maerwin's words for a moment. Nuala kept her eyes fixated to the ground, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Had she killed herself... if Maerwin wasn't there to stop her, then her people would have surely—no, she couldn't bear to think of it.

Maerwin lower her weapon and massaged her forehead. Just the sight of Nuada riled her up! Still, now wasn't the time to pick another fight. She let out an exasperated sigh and waved a hand at the idle Golden Army soldiers that surrounded them. They were without orders, so they watched quietly with their hollow eyes, almost in anticipation for a new leader. It was... disturbing. "Can't you see? You're only driving our extinction further."

Instead of taking her lecture calmly like a sensible person, it seemed Nuada wasn't about to go down without a fight (again, of course). "You've seen what the humans have done to our people. They destroy the planet as if they have another one to spare. If we don't kill them now, the Earth will perish—and so will we!" Nuada exclaimed, his hands curled tightly into fists. He stopped once he realized everyone had their weapons out and pointed towards him. Both Liz and Hellboy had their guns drawn, their fingers on the triggers. Maerwin had taken a step back, raising her weapon once more at the angered prince.

Nuala stepped forward, her voice gentle and serene as always. "Killing the humans will not solve anything. It will only bring an era of bloodshed and violence."

Maerwin, who had been listening quietly, nodded in agreement. Perhaps Nuala's compassionate ways would persuade her fiery-tempered brother.

"Nuada—Prince, though we've had our... differences, believe me when I say that I _will not_ allow our people fade into obscurity," the dark elf began, trying to keep her tone earnest and sincere (though all she could think of was giving him a good slap in the face). She walked up to the Nuada, reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, but thought otherwise. Letting her hand fall to her side, she added, "And believe me when I say that a genocide for the humans is not the way to save our kind."

The elvish prince scoffed. "And how, do you suppose, can we save our race? Do we ship ourselves to Antarctica and see how it all fares out?"

Maerwin could feel her brow twitching with irritation. Oh, he was getting on her last nerve. "I haven't explained that yet, you impatient oaf. Let me finish." She unbuttoned one of the pouches at her hips and reached into it, taking out a glimmering, green seed.

Needless to say, everyone was confused.

Abraham spoke, walking towards the stranger. "Why, that's none other than—"

"A forest elemental, yes," Maerwin quipped, looking down at the seed tenderly. Warmth radiated from it, seeping into the palm of her hand.

"Oh no, not another jumping bean!" Hellboy just had to put his two cents in, but quickly quieted when Liz placed a hand on his arm and shushed him. It wasn't the BPRD's place to speak right now, especially Hellboy's sarcastic commentary from the peanut gallery. Though this stranger was mysterious, she was offering a solution that would benefit both humans and elves. By the way Nuala was fond of her, and by the way the dark elf put Nuada in his place, Elizabeth Sherman considered that this newcomer was trustworthy enough to listen to.

"How did you get that? I thought elementals were extinct," Nuala inquired. Maerwin sauntered over to her and handed her the seed, watching closely as the princess cradled it in her pale hands. It was slightly smaller than the one that Nuada had unleashed in the city, about the size of a very large grape or olive.

"That's impossible," Nuada asserted, "I had the very last one in my possession."

Maerwin threw the prince an impish expression that simply screamed 'I know something you don't know.' "During my training as warrior-priestess, I learned a couple things about Forest Gods—things that most people are not aware of. They don't _need_ to mate with another one of their kind to reproduce. They can self-pollinate, so to speak... of course, this provides no genetic variation, so it is not widely common among their species."

She then turned to Hellboy, pointing at the large gun in his hand. "When you shot that Elemental, it released spores that coated the entire area; however, that wasn't the only thing that fell from it that night."

Nuala gasped. Maybe it wasn't too late to save the seed's beautiful, yet terrifying race. She listened closely to its' small, but strong heartbeat, watching the light green glow within it. In her thoughts, she quietly vowed to protect it from any harm. "How many of them have you recovered?"

The dark elf immediately became somber. "I'm afraid that I could only save one. Some of them did not survive the fall, and those that did were trampled on or run over before I could find them."

When Nuala tried to give it back to Maerwin, she shook her head. "No, princess. It will be safest with you, I'm sure."

Nuala nodded, and held the bean close to her heart.

The red-skinned demon was still unsure of it all. "That thing is dangerous, lady. How can we know that it won't try to kill us?" he asked. He was ready to throw that damned bean down a dark, empty cavern if need be; he definitely didn't want to face another one again, not after what happened in Brooklyn.

"That's quite simple, really. We don't tell it to kill us." Maerwin's answer was meant to mock as she narrowed her eyes at Nuada.

He was standing with crossed arms, and returned her dirty look with one of his own. "And how, pray tell, will this Elemental protect our race from vanishing?"

"It won't—but it will most definitely help things move along," Maerwin said. Then, she promptly took out a scroll from her sleeve. The paper was thin and delicate, like papyrus. It was withered with old age, with a few tears and holes in the material. She carefully unraveled it, and held it out for everyone to see.

On it was an impressive, intricate ink drawing of a very large... tree? Water collected in a pool between the split trunk, and in the middle of this tree was what looked to be a giant, magnificent crystal. The canopy was grand enough to be cut off at the scroll's edges. It was so detailed, one could see the vines creeping up the tree's stump and up its' trunk and branches.

While the BPRD agents were unimpressed with it, the two elven royalty seemed to be in awe. Nuala gasped at the sight of the etching, holding fast to the small bean in her grasp. Nuada uncrossed his arms and walked towards Maerwin, taking the scroll into his hands to inspect it further.

"_He_ will save us," she said, staring down at the scroll.

Abraham cleared his throat. "And _he_ is...?"

Nuala turned to the him and simply said, "Aiglin. The father tree."

* * *

_(Mind you, this is only my own interpretation of the Elemental Forest Gods and Aiglin, built upon my own wild imagination. Do not quote me on this in any way, shape, or form. Here's some stuff about Aiglin you should know about, but if you don't want to read, I will probably explain it in the following chapters.)_

***Aiglin, the father tree, is known as the Tree of Life in Christian beliefs. It has mystical and magical properties to it that is sought after and revered by many. It used to be the focal point of life a long time ago (King Balor was alive during this time) but those times are now long past. Not many people know where Aiglin's Sanctuary lies—one of them being King Balor. Aiglin's roots are spread all throughout the earth. Other cultures have their own versions of Aiglin; while descriptions and names differ, they are essentially sister trees that were once a part of Aiglin himself.**

**The magical properties of sister trees (and Aiglin) are astounding, and they can bring life to even the most barren of landscapes almost immediately.**

**_"...in the hundred year old lake; a lake which has great amount of life energy that drips from the core of the tall, swirling tree. The way the core glows from the branches that intertwines it feels almost like a slow and steady heartbeat ...and in a way, the core feels almost... alive."_**

_**April 25, 2013:** I'll be posting the reference picture I'm using for Aiglin on my profile._


	4. Of Flora And Foliage

"Father tree...?" Abraham questioned, his black eyes fixated on the ink drawing. That name sounded vaguely familiar. Reaching into the vast, murky depths of his practically-photographic memory, the jolt of skimming through bible struck him like lightning. He tilted his head to peer at the dark elf. "Is this Aiglin also referred to as the Tree Of Life?"

At the mention of the tree, Johann Krauss perked up. Though he was _no longer_ a heavily religious person, he had studied the Bible enough in his childhood and youth to be familiar with the term.

He stepped toward the scroll in Nuada's hands and pointed at the drawing, and began to speak a verse from the Bible in his distinguishing German accent, "Ah! The Tree Of Life. 'Then, the Lord God said, "Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—" ...and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.' This Aiglin of yours, I don't suppose that its fruit grants the wish of immortality?" The ectoplasmic man was proud of himself. Though his memory of the Bible was choppy, it didn't fail to serve him in his time of need.

Maerwin turned her head to look at the two men. Impressive, indeed! It was surprising to see that anyone, BPRD agents no less, even _heard_ of Aiglin (in one form or another). Aiglin was a deeply rooted (and very significant) figure in elven folklore, and not many outside their heritage knew about him.

"Yes, that is correct. Some... human religions have called him that," she answered simply, extending a hand out to Nuada to take back the scroll.

The elven prince had his eyes glued to the page for a good few minutes now, searching feverishly for some sort of clue or context. He paid no mind to Maerwin, even as she cleared her throat in indication to take the scroll back. He was just _that_ good at ignoring her.

The dark elf couldn't help but roll her eyes. It was childhood all over again... except Nuada was far more handsome—not that his looks were of any importance. "_Ahem_. The scroll?"

His concentration broken, Nuada handed the parchment back grudgingly and, for once, he stayed silent. On his face was an expression of deep contemplation as he stood by, one hand at his hip while the other grasped his chin.

Abraham glanced over at Nuada. The prince's pose brought to mind the famous bronze statue, The Thinker. It was odd to see the elven prince in a position where he wasn't acting aggressively, and Abe was very thankful indeed. He supposed that this Maerwin was a good person to have around, having found a possible solution to this conflict between elves and humans; still, he couldn't help but feel the slightest twinge of jealousy when the princess greeted her with such familiarity and happiness.

He longed for that moment to happen with him—that the beautiful, Bethmooran princess would embrace him in a warmhearted hug. Being the observant creature that he was, he noticed the small kiss that this Maerwin had given to Nuala on her temple, right beside her brow. Seeing that had immediately put a frown on his fishy face.

Abraham inched his way over to Nuala, trying to act casual as he stood at her side. He coughed into his hand unceremoniously as to gain her attention, and gave her a little, "Oh, hello..." in a trailing voice, similar to that of a young schoolboy in regards of his crush. Nuala lifted her head to give him a small smile, then quickly went back to tending to the small bean in her palm, stroking it gently with a finger. She had a faraway look on her face, and was in no doubt pondering over Aiglin.

After he put his gun away once he deemed that all was safe, Hellboy took one look at the scroll before scratching his head at the scene before him. Nuada wasn't acting like his crazed, neurotic, 'I'm going to kill all humans' self—very unusual, in his opinion. In fact, all three elves in the room (the only ones who knew extensively about this tree in the first place) were quiet. Nuala stared down at the little bean in her hand, her soft, feminine face aglow from the illuminated bean. The dark elf—Marren? Mayrin? Whatever her name was, he couldn't remember—was examining the parchment silently as well. The BPRD agents stood by, not sure what to think of the situation.

This, he thought, was not a good sign. He, like always, was the one to state the obvious—and this happened to be the perfect time to do so. He broke the silence and asked, "So, where exactly can we find this giant tree?"

His question made both Nuada, Nuala, and Maerwin look at him at the same time. It almost made him wish he didn't ask the question from the expressions they were sending him. The royal twins cast each other foreboding glances. No, this wasn't a good sign at all.

Maerwin stepped toward the red demon. She seemed apprehensive, rolling the scroll back up and sliding it back up her sleeve, "I'm... not exactly sure."

Liz couldn't help but shift her weight on her feet, looking around the room. From the expressions on the elven twins faces, it was clear that they had no idea where this tree was either.

Hellboy exhaled, lifting his arms and letting them fall at his sides in a sign of disbelief. "Well, fuck."

**[✿ ✿ ✿]**

Nuada paced within the confines of the library in the BPRD, the only sounds that reached him was the crackles from the great fireplace and the arguing from the hallway between Hellboy and his bald superior, that Manning fellow. To find himself in that place again was aggravating, and to be working with these petty humans... He might as well call himself a traitor to his own race.

Nuala was nearby, reading poetry quietly while Maerwin weaved small braids in her hair. The three elves were waiting for a decision to be made by the BPRD. While Hellboy and his ragtag team of agents were willing to aid them in their quest, they had little to no resources without the funding from the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense.

The hot-tempered elven prince was resistant to the whole thing, and insisted that he and Nuala find Aiglin on their own—without the BPRD and _certainly_ without Maerwin. Nuala would have none of it and, with much persistence, managed to persuade her dear brother to join them—not as an enemy, but an ally—and take refuge at the BPRD headquarters, or as it was so affectionately called, Area 51.

Nuada set the book of poems on her lap and took out a bundled piece of cloth from her pocket. She unfolded it to reveal the small bean she had been tenderly keeping safe. "What shall we do with the forest elemental?" she asked, raising and turning her head to peek at Maerwin from over her shoulder.

Maerwin looked below at her, unbraiding her hair and letting it fall loosely in small waves. "I hope we can use it to clean the city. Perhaps it will be able to revive the foliage and flora."

The princess smiled at it, inspecting the little seed by turning in her fingers. Just thinking of the blooming trees of their city made her heart swell with a hope so big.

...That's when she noticed something rather peculiar on it... Upon closer inspection, Nuala saw that the bean was cracked on one end. It had seeped a glowing white liquid that now dried and crusted over the tear, preventing it from leaking further. It was almost scab-like.

"Oh, Maerwin, look," she said, obviously distressed. "It's been hurt... but I wrapped it so carefully—have I crushed it? What will happen to it?" Causing the death of the last forest elemental was a heavy burden to bear, and the thought of it was too much to handle.

At the sound of his sister's panic, Nuada strode over to where the two women were. "What's all the fuss about? Nuala, hand it to me."

She gave it to her brother, worry in her eyes. Nuada stared hard at the bean's small fracture as if staring at it long enough would suddenly heal it. He rotated it with his fingers, and noted that it was much smaller than the seed that he had before. It was about the size of a plump grape.

Maerwin crossed her arms, watching Nuada's weird actions—as if he would know what happened to the little bean! She took it from him after he'd examined it fully. "Goodness, you're going to kill it if you keep looking at it with that terrifying expression," she said half-teasingly, poking fun at the prince just like the good ole days. Nuada sneered back at her.

The dark elf then brought the bean very close to her face, squinting. Upon closer inspection, the forest elemental did not look too well. "I suspect that this might've happened when it fell. It dropped several stories high; I presume that it being freshly released made it much more susceptible to injury. I don't have prior experience in handling newborn elementals, so to speak—it takes several months to full year for an elemental seed to grow to adult size."

Nuala tilted her head at the small legume. Her motherly instincts kicked in, and Nuada felt the slightest pull of it in his heart through their invisible connection. The gentle princess stood up and cupped her hands together, to which Maerwin carefully placed the bean in. "It's still just a baby," Nuala said, wrapping the bean in the fabric once more for safe keeping.

Maerwin pursed her lips, pondering over the injury. "If we continue to let it grow like this, it might end up deformed or crippled..."

"Maybe even vengeful," Nuada added casually to spite Maerwin, causing both the females to scowl at him.

"What should we do, Maerwin?" Nuala asked with concern, holding the bean close to her chest. Both she and her brother were looking at her for a decision.

Maerwin was silent, still weighing out the pros and cons of each option. Should they let it grow as a bean, its growth and development might be stunted. Activating it may be a problem if it were to be raised at the BPRD headquarters, and might prove difficult to keep it calm in an urban environment.

After a few moments of silence, she met their gaze and said, "We have no choice but to awaken it now and tend to its wounds."

Nuala nodded. "I'll draw some water."

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_**April 25, 2013:** I made grammatical changes, nothing big._

Sorry for taking so long to update. I've been busy in reality, job-hunting and political organizing and the like. I'll try to update as soon as possible. Please review and critique! Any ideas on how the forest elemental will act upon being activated? Any ideas on how it would look like? Let me know!


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